IRVINE, Calif., March 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Epicor Software Corporation (NASDAQ:
EPIC), a leading provider of integrated enterprise software solutions for the midmarket, today announced it was named the 2005 "Fastest Growing Partner" by Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ:
PRGS), a global supplier of application infrastructure software used to develop, deploy, integrate and manage business applications. Progress Application Partners (APs) like Epicor were recognized for their innovative work using Progress(R) OpenEdge(R) technology at the company's recent North American AP Kick-off in Marco Island, Florida.

Epicor was one of six award honorees selected from over 840 Progress partners eligible for the awards. Progress honored partners for their focus on high-value market initiatives, and joint efforts to deliver superior business value to customers. This is the fourth consecutive year that Epicor has received an award from Progress for demonstrated success and ability to stay ahead of industry demands using the latest Progress technology.

"Epicor is one of the dominant providers of best-of-breed products in the manufacturing industry. The company continues to embrace cutting-edge technologies in order to deliver to its customers the most competitive manufacturing solutions available," said Justin Wright, vice president of worldwide operations, Progress Corporation. "We are pleased to recognize Epicor for its innovative use of the OpenEdge Platform and Sonic Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) in their service-oriented architecture (SOA) strategy."

Epicor leverages both the Progress OpenEdge and Microsoft .NET platforms in its Vantage 8.0 and Vista 8.0 manufacturing solutions, which are both based on a 100-percent service-oriented architecture and optimized for high performance and collaboration across the globally expanding supply chain.

"We're thrilled to once again be acknowledged by Progress for our accomplishments in delivering innovative, industry leading enterprise solutions to our customers," said George Klaus, chairman and CEO of Epicor. "The 'Fastest Growing Partner' award is especially validating, as we continue to achieve solid growth and expand our presence delivering truly global solutions to midmarket manufacturers that provide a low total cost of ownership."

About Progress Software Corporation

Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ:
PRGS) is a global industry leader providing application infrastructure software for all aspects of the development, deployment, integration and management of business applications through its operating units: Progress OpenEdge Division, Sonic Software, DataDirect Technologies, and Progress Real Time Division. Headquartered in Bedford, Mass., Progress can be reached at
www.progress.com or +1-781-280-4000.

About Epicor Software Corporation

Epicor is a global leader dedicated to providing integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM) and supply chain management (SCM) software solutions to midmarket companies around the world. Founded in 1984, Epicor serves over 20,000 customers in more than 140 countries, providing solutions in 33 languages. Epicor leverages innovative technologies like Web services in developing end-to-end, industry-specific solutions for retail, manufacturing, distribution, enterprise service automation, hospitality and pharmaceutical that enable companies to immediately drive efficiency throughout business operations and build competitive advantage. With the scalability and flexibility to support long-term growth, Epicor's solutions are complemented by a full range of services, providing a single point of accountability to promote rapid return on investment and low total cost of ownership. Epicor's worldwide headquarters are located in Irvine, California with offices and affiliates around the world. For more information, visit
www.epicor.com .

Epicor is a registered trademark of Epicor Software Corporation. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. The product and service offerings depicted in this document are produced by Epicor Software Corporation.